You're My Little Girl
by Jace Stevens
Summary: Aelita decides to stay with the Belpois family for Christmas break. Unfortunately, it is the first holiday Aelita will celebrate since her father's passing. However, in the end Aelita will discover something reassuring her everything will be okay.


After all the anime creations I've submitted to deviantART and , and careful consideration, I have decided to leave the world of anime forever to pursue the field of writing/art based on real world experiences. Do leave noted, this is not the end for me as a writer or artist.

However, before I hang up the anime gloves forever, here is one last piece featuring the couple that began it all, Jerlita. This is a songfic piece coordinated to the well-known Go Fish song, "You're My Little Girl."

I hope that after reading this piece, you'll discover something very important everyone needs in their life, the love of a Savior. Also, comment on what you think, as this style of writing will be what I enter into in the future.

And so now, with a humble heart and much thanks, I say farewell, and God bless.

* * *

_The ones you love they let you down,_

_And I want you to know that I'm sorry,  
_

The chilly winter winds blew through the campus grounds of Kadic, as Aelita Schaeffer prepared to spend another winter break with her beloved Jeremie and his parents. However, this one was more significant, as it was the first holiday she would celebrate since her father's passing. As the car pulled away and took off for the Belpois' winter cottage, the pinkette couldn't help but think about how many more special occasions she would not be able to celebrate with the father she barely knew.

_The choices that they made were wrong,_

_You were caught in the middle and I'm sorry,  
_

"Aelita, are you okay," asked Jeremie as he noticed his angel's eyes turning glassy. "Huh, oh, I'm fine," she replied trying her hardest to cover her broken up voice. Concern showed in Jeremie's expression as he looked into her puffy eyes and said, "Are you sure? You can tell me Aelita. That's what people do when they're in love, they share what's on their hearts." With a small sigh, she said, "Well, it's just that, I've been thinking about my father, and how I didn't even know him. All the wonderful things we did when I was young, all the memories, I can't truly rely on those for comfort because… well… they still are somewhat of a blur to me. And… now that he's gone… I… I'll never be able to make any new ones with him."

_So when the anger and the pain,_

_Get the best of you,_

_I know it seems like you're all alone,_

_But I am feeling too,  
_

Suddenly, Aelita buried her face, which was now letting tears out into Jeremie's chest. In between the tears she said, "It's not fair! Why did he do it? Why did my father have to sacrifice himself like that?" Trying to be comforting, Jeremie just held her tightly and let her cry her pain away. "I'm sorry," she continued. "I didn't mean to blow up like that. Forgive me Jeremie." In a soothing tone, Jeremie said, "I know Aelita, and I'm sorry about what you're going through. Is there anything I can do for you right now to help you grieve?" Looking back up in his blue eyes, the girl said, "Just hold me right now, and don't ever let me go." Jeremie quickly obliged and let her rest in his arms like a little child to her father.

'_Cause you're my little girl, you're the one that I created,_

_No one in this world could ever be like you,_

_When you're crying in the night, all you need to do is call me,_

_I'll be there for you, 'cause you're my little girl,  
_

As the Belpois family and Aelita arrived at their Christmas cottage, Jeremie helped Aelita with her bags and showed her to her room. Aelita observed the beautiful room, noticing its intricate detail. It almost reminded her of the Hermitage and the room she slept in growing up. After about five minutes of reminiscing, the two ran downstairs to find Mr. Belpois stirring up a fire in the fireplace while Mrs. Belpois brought out some hot chocolate from the kitchen. "Here you go Aelita," said Jeremie's mother offering her the cup. "Thank you Mrs. Belpois," she replied gratefully. As she sipped the hot liquid, Aelita stared into the blazing embers, trying her hardest to cope with the cold fact that both her parents were now gone, leaving her feeling completely alone. For the next few hours, everyone then began to reflect on how quickly the year had come to pass and "all" that had been accomplished throughout the year. Jeremie made a small wink at Aelita, letting her know that "a lot" had been accomplished. This unfortunately made the girl curl up a little and hold her head down. "Aelita dear," said Mrs. Belpois. "Are you okay?" A little off-guard, Aelita replied, "Huh? Oh yes Mrs. Belpois. I'm just a little cold that's all." Smiling, Jeremie's dad replied, "Well don't worry, a little dinner will change all that." Unfortunately, it was going to take a lot to relieve Aelita of all the pain in her heart.

_When you're looking in the mirror,_

_I hope you're liking what you see,  
_

The feeling of warm water sent a chill down Aelita's spine as she washed her hands for dinner. As she dried them off, the girl stared back at her reflection in the mirror attentively, perhaps trying to picture her father there with her. It was then Aelita noticed an open Bible sitting on the counter where the sink was; she had forgotten Jeremie and his family were Christians. Examining the sacred book, she noticed a verse that mentioned the life mankind would await in Heaven with Jesus, _"__3__And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. __4__He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away," – Revelation 21:3-4._ Aelita then reflected back to a memory of her father mentioning Heaven and that that's where her mother was now, watching over her. She then noticed her six-year old self asking, "Daddy? Am I going to Heaven?" Her father looked at her and said, "Well, honey, in order to go to Heaven, you have to accept Jesus as your Savior." Unfortunately, Aelita had never actually got around to accepting Jesus in her life having been trapped in the supercomputer for most of it. Yet somehow, the grieving girl felt that if ever there were a time to discover Him, now would be the best time.

_Because no matter what you're feeling,_

_You're perfect to me,  
_

The smell of freshly cooked turkey filled the cottage as everyone migrated into the elegant-looking dining room to begin enjoying the elaborate holiday dinner Mrs. Belpois prepared. Once everybody was served, Mr. Belpois began to say a prayer honoring Christ for the very day He came to Earth as a man. Aelita had never heard a prayer before and was confused as to how to proceed. She took note of how everyone bowed their heads and closed their eyes, so she joined in as well, still unsure as to what they were doing. Finally, Mr. Belpois closed by saying, " And everyone said… " Everyone followed in unison saying, "Amen." However, Aelita was a little more delayed with her response. Seeing a troubled look on her face, Jeremie's father asked Aelita, "So Aelita, I noticed you looking in that Bible in the bathroom." Choking on a piece of bread, Aelita uttered, "Oh yeah, well I noticed it open and read it a little." "What did you read," asked the man Aelita pictured as Jeremie in the future. Speaking with uncertainty, she said, "Well, I saw this sentence that kind of got my attention. It mentioned something about _'the old order of things has passed away.' _Do you know what that means exactly?" Clearing his throat, Mr. Belpois said, "Oh, I believe you read Revelation 21:3. Well, that verse tells about the life that Jesus promises us when we go to Heaven with Him. You see Aelita, when you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior you recognize that He is the Son of God, and that He sacrificed his life when he died on the cross to forgive you of your sins. And it is because of that recognition Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with us, and wants us to live with Him in Heaven for eternity." Aelita then brought up something that caught everyone at the table off-guard, "Does that mean, some of my family could be in Heaven too?" Again, Mr. Belpois could see something was troubling Aelita, but the man didn't find it in his heart to potentially trouble her more. So he simply replied, "Absolutely. In fact, if they believed in Christ themselves, they're up there with Him right now." While she still didn't quite understand how both her mother and father could be in another place other than Earth, Aelita felt a little more reassured inside.

_Because I see you as a child,_

_Blameless in my sight,_

_Just spend some time with me,_

_And I'll make everything alright,  
_

The night grew darker as the clock struck 9:00 PM and everyone felt the need to turn in for the night. As Mr. and Mrs. Belpois headed to their bedroom, Jeremie followed Aelita to her room and wished her good night. Before he left, Aelita grabbed him by the arm asking, "Jeremie, do you really believe in Heaven and Jesus?" A little confused by her question he replied, "Of course Aelita. I may be into science, but I certainly don't believe we were created by random chance." Aelita then let out a small smile asking, "Then, do you think your father was right? Do you think… maybe… my mother and father are in Heaven right now?" Seeing her need for comfort again, Jeremie embraced Aelita once more and kissed her forehead saying, "I know they are. You just need to believe it now." Finally, the two shared a short, passionate kiss before separating to go to bed. Laying in her room, nestled under the covers, Aelita tried to let sleep claim her. Suddenly, from out of nowhere she heard a gentle voice speak to her, a voice that sounded like a whisper, yet it was as audible as Kadic's school bell. It appeared to say, "Aelita… Aelita…" In a panic Aelita said, "Daddy, is that you?"

'_Cause you're my little girl, you're the one that I created,_

_No one in this world could ever be like you,_

_When you're crying in the night, all you need to do is call me,_

_I'll be there for you, 'cause you're my little girl,  
_

The mysterious voice spoke once again to a frightened Aelita saying, "Do not fear… for the spirit of the Lord shall endure… have faith, and all will be made alright…" In a swift motion, Aelita closed her eyes, but when she reopened them there stood her mother and father in a glorified form. Overcome with emotion, Aelita said stuttering, "D-daddy? Mo-Mother?" Smiling, her father replied, "Aelita… it's so good to see you again." Aelita then ran wildly trying to hug them both, but was unable to since both were in Heaven. "D-daddy, I miss you so much," Aelita said with tears falling from her eyes. "Honey," said her mother. "It's going to be okay. Your father and I are here with the Lord right now." Remembering Mr. Belpois's encouraging words, Aelita repeated, "You're with the Lord right now?" "Yes honey," Antea repeated. "You don't need to worry about us anymore." "But mom," said Aelita. "How am I supposed to handle life without you and daddy? After all, I'm still haven't gotten used to living life on Earth again." Seeing her on her knees, Franz walked over to his daughter and tried to cradle her chin. With compassion, he said, "Aelita dear, I am sorry for all that has happened in the last few years of your life. Not a day goes by where I regret having built that infernal computer. I just wish I could've have been there for you more when you were growing up. But all I can say now is that your mother and I are so proud of the young woman you have become since Jeremie brought you back to Earth. In my heart, I really believe it was God's plan for you two to find each other." Blushing a little, Aelita replied, "I know. I love him so much. And he's even told me he believes God meant for us to be together. I just don't know how to believe in something or 'someone' I can't even see or hear."

_I know you don't deserve what you've been through,_

_And I know it doesn't seem fair,_

_And I know that there are times you think you're alone,_

_But you've got to know that I will be there,  
_

Seeing that their daughter needed a little push both Franz and Antea allowed God to speak through them. "Aelita," said the Lord with her parents as the medium. "Huh, who are You? Where are my parents?" said Aelita a little scared. With a loving tone, the Lord said, "It is alright Aelita, you don't have to be afraid. Your parents have allowed me to speak through them to talk to you." Amazed by what she was witnessing, Aelita buried her face in her hands saying, "Jeremie was right. You are real. Please forgive me for not believing in You." Suddenly, God used her father's hand to lift her cheek and say, "It's okay Aelita. By my Son's selfless sacrifice on the cross, you have been redeemed and forgiven. Your parents believed the same thing before you were born, and that's why they are here with Me. You need not fear Aelita, you are a strong, willful young woman and I have great things planned for you. So leave your worries and fears in My hands, and I will make everything alright. Follow My word Aelita, and you will be saved." Standing in awe, Aelita replied with a choked voice saying, "I will, my Father. Thank You." At that moment, Aelita's parents returned and the girl said, "Mom, dad, I… I saw Him." Happy to hear those words, Antea said, "Good for you honey. We're both glad you have recognized God's love for you." Franz added saying, "Just remember Aelita, have faith that the Lord will be there for you, and we'll always be there for you, inside your mind and in your heart." Tearing back up again, Aelita said, "I will daddy, mother. I love you both so much." "And we love you too darling," said her mother as they slowly began to drift back into Heaven. "Honey," said her father before he completely faded. "Tell Jeremie that your mother and I are eternally grateful for all he has done for you and that we trust you in his care." "I will daddy!" she replied back. Finally, Aelita's parents returned to Heaven, leaving Aelita standing with eyes wide open. At this point, there was only one thing left for her to do.

'_Cause you're my little girl, you're the one that I created,_

_No one in this world could ever be like you,_

_When you're crying in the night, all you need to do is call me,_

_I'll be there for you, 'cause you're my little girl,  
_

"Jeremie, are you awake?" Aelita said lightly tapping on Jeremie's door. Rubbing his tired eyes, Jeremie said, "Hey Aelita, was that you talking in the other room?" "Yes it was," she replied excited more than ever. "Jeremie," she continued. "I saw Him, I saw God! He talked to me! Through my parents. They all helped me realize that I need something important in my life." Trying his hardest to catch up with Aelita, Jeremie asked, "What's that?" Speaking in a calm manner, Aelita uttered those words God longs to hear His children say, "I want to become a Christian. Help me bring Jesus into my life Jeremie." Tears formed in Jeremie's eyes as he heard those words, and he immediately said yes. For about three hours, Jeremie told Aelita about God and His immense power to forgive, redeem, and love. He also helped her in praying for the first time. In the prayer, he helped her ask God to enter her life, filling her with His Holy Spirit and washing her mind, body, and soul clean of all the sin within her. He also helped her to stop grieving for the loss of her parents, because as she saw earlier, they were now in the protective arms of God. Finally, Jeremie asked God to bless their relationship, and to give them strength to overcome life's challenges together, no matter how difficult. As they said "Amen," Aelita felt a whole new sense of self-being and happiness she had never felt before, and knew that at last, the hole in her heart had at last been filled. As the clock struck 12:00 AM, Jeremie said, "Wow, we'd better get some sleep." Suddenly, Jeremie decided that Aelita should sleep with him in his bed to give her additional warmth and comfort. The pink-haired teen quickly agreed, but blushed a little shade of pink at the image of her and him together like that. As they lay next to each other, Aelita kissed Jeremie deeply and whispered, "Jeremie, I'm glad God brought me to you." Smiling, Jeremie gently kissed Aelita back and said, "And I'm glad He brought me to you." Finally, the snuggled into each other's arms and let the aroma of the night intoxicate them both with bliss and comfort in the form of a deep sleep. At this point, Aelita truly knew that she, was God's reborn little girl.


End file.
